Curiosity Stream, a streaming service devoted entirely to documentaries, is selling a lifetime subscription for $119.99 through 11:59 p.m. PT on November 15. The list price is $399.99.
The code DEAL20 takes 70% off at checkout, a $280 saving, according to the seller, StackSocial. The deal is for new users only, and the code must be redeemed within 30 days of purchase. StackSocial said prices are subject to change.
The service was started by John Hendricks, who founded Discovery Communications. Its catalog covers science, technology, history, nature and art, and the listing says new titles arrive every week. Series include Planet of Treasures and Engineering the Future. Stephen Hawking's Favorite Places, a trilogy that follows Hawking on a computer-generated trip through the universe, won the service its first Emmy, for graphic design and art direction.
Video streams in 1080p HD, and episodes can be downloaded for offline viewing. Apps run on Android 5.0 and up, iOS 11 and up, Android TV and Xbox One, while older Apple TV models can play shows through AirPlay. The listing also cites a 4.7/5 rating on the App Store.
The arithmetic is easy. The risk is less so. Most streaming services bill monthly, which lets you leave when the shows run thin. A lump sum removes that exit, so the value depends on the library continuing to grow as the listing promises. The listing also does not define "lifetime": whether it means yours, or the service's.
The device list is worth checking against what you own before you pay. The service is the inverse of the usual streaming bundle, where documentaries sit in a small corner next to drama and reality shows. Here the whole catalog is nonfiction, and the question is whether you will watch enough of it, over enough years, to make one payment the cheaper route.